I have often called myself (in workshops or when coaching) a Simple Shooter….I know that some look at me with this perplexed look thinking “what is she talking about” Well, for me that means the following:
I don’t have a ton of equipment: Really, I can show up to a session with just my camera and the lens on it. For me, I shoot with a Mark II and an 85L lens. I know, some of you will say, “your camera is out of date” or “don’t you need more glass?” My answers to this is pretty simple! I get all the images that you see on this site with that camera and that lens…at this point, why should I change. My clients LOVE my work, I have mastered that camera and that lens and we are what I like to say “peas and carrots” Yes occasionally I throw on a wide angle for large families or a zoom when I’m at the beach, but for 90% of the time I shoot with that lens on that camera that is over 5 years old. My point for this is that you don’t need a lot of expensive equipment to produce beautiful work. Yes, if you are shooting weddings, you need off camera flash and you need some versatility, but don’t fool yourself that you need 10 lenses.
I don’t use a lot of props: I have said that I don’t really need a lot of props (though I have a ton….my studio often looks like a furniture store) but I love to choose locations that I’m able to use as my “prop” Yes, there are cute things out there for kids, but I love the simplicity and being able to showcase the subject. So for me, you often will see me with just a chair…I can do so much with a beautiful location and a chair. Note: newborns are a different story! It’s also a bit overwhelming for the clients when you show up at a shoot with a van load of stuff…
I move quickly: I was shooting yesterday (a family of five …which I’ve had a lot of lately) and they said when we were all done…”that was so painless, so much easier than what we’ve done before” Well, I really feel that if I can keep things moving, if I can engage and work quickly, then I have the kids attention (undivided) and when they are done, they think “that wasn’t that bad” and when mom books me the next time, they are not dreading it, but excited as we had fun!
Telling a story: I love to tell a story with my images…and this is done by focusing on the subjects. I shoot through the shot, that means that I will shoot a shot, and then I keep shooting and that is often when I capture the “real shot” that I love! (you will see what I mean below) keeping the environment clean and simple helps with this process. That doesn’t mean that there isn’t a place for beautiful sets or styled sessions, they were all the rage a few years ago and I too love them, but my style tends to be much simpler!
That in a nutshell is what I mean when I say I’m pretty simple as a photographer. I love all the fancy stuff, but over the years, I have found that this is my style and it’s what has worked for me and my clients!
I had the amazing opportunity to capture this sweet pea! Oh My Goodness…is she just not a living doll? Her beautiful eyes…her dimples…her gorgeous smile…I could have kept shooting for hours! I’m super excited to share these images…they just make me smile!
